1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wheeled carriers and, more particularly, to wheeled carriers especially adapted for carrying a portable cooler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable coolers are commonly used away from sources of electric power for keeping food and beverages cool. Common uses of portable coolers are at picnics, at a beach, and at stadium events. However, a cooler filled with ice, food, and beverages may be quite heavy. Often such a filled cooler requires two people to carry it and often with much inconvenience. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that permitted transport of a heavy cooler without needing two people to carry the cooler.
Coolers come in many sizes. Generally, however, coolers are substantially box shaped. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that were capable of being adjusted for transporting coolers of various sizes.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to devices for transporting coolers, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 4,724,681; 4,846,493; and 5,169,164. More specifically, the above-cited U.S. patents share a common feature. Each of the cited cooler transporters is a two-wheeled device. As such the combined weight of the cooler, the contents of the cooler, and the device itself are concentrated on only two wheels. Such a concentration of weight of on only two wheels may be inconvenient on soft surfaces such as sand, and the heavily weighted-down pair of wheels may tend to sink into such soft surfaces. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for transporting a portable cooler which did not employ only two wheels for supporting the cooler.
Another disadvantage of a cooler transporter that has only two wheels is that the cooler is tilted when the cooler is transported. When a cooler is tilted, the contents within the cooler may be spilled. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for transporting a cooler that does require tilting of the cooler during transport.
Other devices for transporting box-like containers are designed for transporting luggage. For example, the following U.S. Pat. Nos. disclose such luggage carriers: 3,891,245 and 3,963,256. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,245 discloses a luggage transporter that employs only two wheels, and the disadvantages of two-wheeled cooler transporters is described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,256 discloses a luggage carrier that has four wheels. There is a front pair of wheels and a rear pair of wheels. The two pairs of wheels are separated by a complex lever and fulcrum apparatus. The luggage is attached to the carrier with two elastic straps, one at each end of the luggage. Rather than using a complex system of levers and fulcrums, it would be desirable if a cooler transporter device were provided which did not employ a complex system of levers and fulcrums.
A cooler generally has a lid portion that is lifted off of a body portion to gain access to the contents of the cooler. It is noted that the two elastic straps disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,256 would not permit easy removal of a lid portion and would not permit easy access to the contents of a cooler. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for transporting a cooler that permits easy removal of a cooler lid and permits easy access to the contents of the cooler.
Still other features would be desirable in a cooler carrier apparatus. In a four-wheeled cooler transporter, it would be desirable if the transporter were pulled by a handle that is hinged with respect to a four-wheeled carriage. With such a hinged handle, transmittal of shocks to the person pulling on the handle from the carriage resulting from the carriage encountering rough terrain would be kept to a minimum.
When the cooler is placed on the carriage, it would be desirable if the cooler can be readily secured to the carriage. Conversely, when the cooler is to removed from the carriage, it would be desirable if the cooler can be readily removed from the carriage.
When the cooler carrier apparatus is not in use, it would be desirable if the apparatus can be reduced in size to occupy a reduced amount of space during storage.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use wheeled transporters for portable coolers, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a cooler carrier apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) permits transport of a heavy cooler without needing two people to carry the cooler; (2) is capable of being adjusted for transporting coolers of various sizes; (3) does not employ only two wheels for supporting the cooler; (4) does not require tilting of the cooler during transport; (5) does not employ a complex system of levers and fulcrums for supporting a cooler; (6) permits easy removal of a cooler lid and permits easy access to the contents of the cooler; (7) is pulled by a handle that is hinged with respect to a four-wheeled carriage; (8) provides for a cooler to be readily secured to a carriage; (9) provides for a cooler to be readily removed from the carriage; and (10) can be reduced in size to occupy a reduced amount of space during storage. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique cooler carrier apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.